Awareness

Cyprus Safer Internet Center 'CyberEthics'

CyberEthics is operating with the co-funding of the European Union through the Safer Internet Programme, and it’s comprised of an awareness node, hotline and helpline. CyberEthics is the National Representative of Cyprus at the European Network of Awareness Centers - Insafe and at the Worldwide Association of Hotline for reporting illegal content on the Internet - INHOPE. It is also member of the Commonwealth Cybercrime Initiative operated by the Commonwealth Internet Governance Forum (CIGF). It collaborates with several stakeholders from the public and private sector in Cyprus, as well as with stakeholders from overseas focusing on ensuring a better internet for all.

Mission

The Cyprus Safer Internet Center, active in Cyprus since 2006, promotes the safer use of the Internet, serving the needs of all people on the island (i.e. also Turkish-Cypriots and other minorities). It addresses issues of child pornography, racism, harmful contact, conduct and content. CyberEthics aims to engage actors from the government and the civil society, thus contributing towards the eradication of cybercrime through informed actions of European citizens and public institutions that aim to change behaviours, mentality and attitudes, giving special emphasis to rural and less developed areas of the country.

Main Objectives

Devise inventive, attention-grabbing and informative awareness campaigns using the most appropriate media, taking into account best practice and experience in other countries, which may involve the participation of children and young people;

Establish and maintain formal or informal partnerships and promote dialogue and exchange of information with key players (government agencies, press and media groups, ISP associations, user organisations, education stakeholders) and actions in their country on to safer use of the Internet and other online technologies;

Inform the intended target groups about European filtering software and services and in particular about the study on benchmarking filtering software and services, about hotlines and helplines and selfregulation schemes through using cost-effective means of distribution of information to large numbers of users (multiplier organisations, electronic dissemination channels, mass media, information material distributed to schools and to Internet cafés);

Actively cooperate with other centres in the European network by exchanging information about best practice, participating in meetings and designing and implementing a European approach;

Hold regional meetings and conferences involving participation from other countries. These events have to be considered appropriate by the European Commission and by the European network coordinator and the Safer Internet Centre needs to give advance warning of such events. Failure to meet these conditions could mean that the costs of the event are not recognised as eligible costs.

Take an active part in European-level events and in the organisation of regional and local events for Safer Internet Day;

Support preparations for the Safer Internet Forum by holding national events on the topics to be discussed there;

Cooperate with other actions under the Safer Internet programme;

Cooperate with non-EU countries by exchanging information about best practice, sharing awareness tools, participating in international meetings, and hosting visits.

Operate a hotline to receive information from the public relating to illegal content which will act as a national alert platform or as an alert platform common to several Member States; (Hotline)

Answer online questions and telephone calls from children and parents related to their use of online technologies, in particular in relation to harmful contact (grooming), harmful conduct (cyberbullying), harmful content and uncomfortable or scary experiences of using online technologies; (Helpline)